GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Play as a nationally ranked team for the first time in a year, (14) University of Providence women’s basketball lived up to its ranking with a 67-62 win over Montana State University-Northern. The Lady Argos were led by freshman post Parker Esary through most of the game, but senior Stephanie McDonagh scored UP’s last 7 points to fend off an MSUN comeback effort.

Despite shooting 60 percent from the field in the second quarter, and Esary posing an offensive problem that Northern just couldn’t solve, the two teams went into the locker room at halftime with the score tied at 31 all.

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After score 14 points in the first half, Esary added another 9 in the second, but with four minutes left in the game, the ball was put in McDonagh’s hands.

MSUN’s Brandy Lambourne, who scored 30 points in the game, narrowed the game to 7 at the 4:15 mark. McDonagh answered with a three of her own on the next possession. The Lights then worked the score to 63-60, but right when UP needed a bucket to stop the momentum, McDonagh was there again with a smooth pull-up jumper. Lambourne got a layup on the other end to bring the it back to a one score game, but after a miss from Esary with 12 second on the clock and 2 left on the shot clock, McDonagh was there for the offensive rebound and a put back that put the game on ice.

Esary led UP and tied a career high with 23 points and added 7 rebounds. McDonagh finished with 18 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal.

The win brings the Lady Argo’s winning streak to five games with a record of 15-3 (6-1).

Tom Wylie is the sports director for KRTV in Great Falls. He grew up in Bozeman. Tom’s mother would like people to know he was nominated for a 2013 Southeast Emmy award for his work on “WJBF Football Friday Night”. He also won a Georgia Associated Press Award for a story on a South Carolina high school basketball player who was granted a fifth year of eligibility after missing a season due to a cancer diagnosis.